Watermelon Growing Guide

Watermelon is the quintessential Summertime treat in most areas of the world. Because of their popularity in home gardens, we get a lot of questions from both beginner and long-time gardeners when Spring garden planning begins. So let’s address the questions we get the most when deciding to grow your watermelons at home.

Are watermelons hard to grow?
In general, watermelons, like other fruits and vegetables, are not particularly difficult to grow. However, they do require a few key things: a lot of sun, adequate water, the correct nutrients (and a lot of them), and most importantly a LOT of space. To grow your watermelons successfully, we recommend starting your plants from seeds and transplanting them into your garden.

Can I grow watermelons vertically?
No doubt you’ve seen plenty of photos and posts out there showing watermelons growing on a chain-link fence or on a trellis. And yes, while it absolutely can be done, it’s not a method that we recommend. Watermelon vines are naturally relatively delicate and tend to sprawl outward, not upward. Supporting large fruits can very easily damage your vines from the weight of the melons. Once watermelons do start producing, they will have to be supported manually and individually tied up so it is a very labor-intensive process. From a harvesting standpoint, growing vertically also eliminates a key factor in determining the ripeness and sweetness of your melon, the field spot (keep reading for more information on this!).

Do watermelons grow in raised beds and containers? 
Of all the questions we get, this may be the most controversial to answer so we are going to preface it by saying, that every garden and gardener is different. And we always encourage you to experiment and do what works for you. With that being said, watermelons crawl and take up a ton of space. No, really, a LOT of space. So if you have a raised bed that is at LEAST 20 sq. ft., you can likely grow a couple of watermelons. But when it comes to growing your own food, we truly believe that optimizing your area to grow different fruits and vegetables is far more worth it. If you’re growing in containers, we 100% do not recommend growing watermelons. 

The 4 Types Of Watermelons

There are lots of different watermelon varieties out there for you to choose from that all have unique qualities from their flavor to the color of the fruit itself. But when choosing a watermelon variety, it’s helpful to know the different types based on your needs. The 4 types of watermelons that all varieties can be broken down into are seedless, icebox, yellow and orange flesh, and picnic. 

Seedless watermelons were developed in the 90's to have small edible seeds. Typically produce 10-20 pound fruits and mature in 85 days and require a pollinator variety.

Specifically bred to be small enough to fit in a refrigerator and feed one person or a small family. Round fruits average between 5-15 pounds and mature in 75 days.

Yellow or orange fleshed fruit can be round or oblong shaped, seeded or seedless, and can weigh up to 30 pounds on average. Matures in 75 days.

The largest watermelon variety weighs in between 16 and 45 pounds. Makes a great option to feed large crowds. Oblong fruits will mature in 85-90 days.

Where the stem of the watermelon meets the main vine, there is a small tendril that comes off of the plant that we call a curly q. This is the best indicator as to the ripeness of your watermelons. When that curly q has completely dried out all the way to the vine, you know that your watermelons are good to harvest. Check out the video in the Extra Credit section below for more detailed info on this method!

While growing, the watermelon rests on the ground and develops what is known as a field spot. A good indication that you’re going to have a ripe and sweeter watermelon is checking the color of this spot. The color ranges from almost white to a deep yellow color. Typically, the darker the yellow spot, the sweeter your watermelon will be. 

After harvesting, watermelons will last in storage for up to 10 days. After cutting your watermelon, they can last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Be sure to keep your uncut watermelons stored at room temperature, though. Putting them in the fridge can cause them to become mealy and lose their sweetness, color and overall flavor.